Wrist watch and bracelet connection



June 20, 1939. s. MOODY r AL 2,163,208

WRIST WATCH AND BRACELET CONNECTION Filed Nov. 6, 1957 Patented June 20, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRIST WATCH AND BRACELET CONNECTION 7 Application November 6, 1937, Serial No. 173,186

1 Claim.

Our invention relates to a detachable connection for wrist watches and the bracelets or wrist bands associated therewith, and has for its principal object the provision of a relatively simple,

.5 practical and inexpensive connection that is carried by the ends of wrist bands or bracelets for engaging the cross bars that are mounted on the lugs of the watch case.

Large numbers of wrist watch bracelets, or wrist bands now on the market are composed of links that are shaped like the numeral 8, and it is one of the objects of our invention to provide a connection that includes a member having its intermediate portion that is substantially helical in shape in order that it may, with a rotary movement, be readily engaged in the endlink of the Wrist band or bracelet, thus enabling the wrist band to be shortened by cutting off one or more of the ii-shaped links, and consequently, doing away with the necessity for sending the watch and bracelet to the jewelers workroom and also eliminating the necessity for soldering operations.

A further object of our invention is, to provide a connection of the character referred to that brings the ends of the wrist band or bracelet close to the lugs on the sides of the Watch, thereby producing a neat, compact and finished appearance.

A further object of our invention is, to provide a Wrist watch and bracelet connection having a hook that is mounted on one end of the bracelet, which hook is adapted to engage a pin carried by one of the pairs of lugs on the wrist watch so that the watch and bracelet may be readily applied to or removed from the wrist, and which hook includes a resilient portion, which, when applied to pin carried by the lugs, will click so as, to produce an audible signal to assure the wearer of the wrist watch that the wrist band or bracelet is properly connected thereto.

With the foregoing and other'objects in view our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the'connecting member that is detachably applied to one end of the wrist band or bracelet.

'Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the pin that is. carried by the lugs of the watch case, and which provides a point of attachment for one of the connecting members.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a tube forming a part of the connection, and which is mounted on the central portion of the pin seen in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the helical member that is associated with the pin seen in Fig. 2 and the tube seen in Fig. 3, and which is detach- 6 ably applied to the end link of the bracelet.

Fig. 5 is. a perspective view of a modified form of the helical link or member.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a further modified form of the helical member.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the helical member.

Fig. 8 is a plan View partly in section of a modified form of the connection.

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the resilient hook that 5 forms a part of the connection.

Fig. 10 is a view looking against the under side of the hook seen in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail section taken on the line IIH of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a plan view partly in section and showing a modified form of the connection and which form is particularly designed for use in connection with the chain bracelets of the curb or double link pattern.

Fig. 13 is a plan View partly in section of a further modified form of the connecting member.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing, and particularly to the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, Ill designates a portion of a conventional wrist watch and which is provided on opposite sides with pairs of lugs ll.

Seated in the lugs H are the reduced end portions of a pin l2, and mounted on the intermedi- 5 ate portion of said pin is a tube l3 which may be round, square or any desired cross-sectional shape.

Loosely mountedon the pin 12 between the lugs II and the ends of the tube l3 are inverted L- shaped members id in the vertical lugs of which are formed apertures I5 for the accommodation of the pin 12.

Formed integral with members [4 on the sides opposite from the sides that are disposed adjacent the'watch case are the ends of. a substantially helical shaped member comprising two substantially semi-circular portions I6 and a centrally arranged loop I], the latter being disposed substantially at right angles to the portions Hi.

When this helical member is properly applied to the pin [2, the end of the intermediate loop I! is located immediately adjacent or in direct contact with the center of the tube I3, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The main body portion of the wrist band or bracelet is composed of 8-shaped links l8, and as the openings in the looped ends of said links are large enough to permit the passage therethrough of the inverted L-shaped members l4 of the helical connecting member, the latter may be readily applied to the end link of the chain by a rotary or corkscrew movement which causes one of the members M to pass through one of the loops of the end link and then through the other loop. In other words, the helical member is threaded through the end link of the chain, and such arrangement enables the helical member to be readily applied to or removed from the chain and entirely eliminates soldering or riveting operations. tates the sizing of the bracelet or wrist band for, if the same is too large, one or more links may be cut from the end of the chain and-the helical member applied to the chain of proper length, and which operation may be accomplished without the necessity for sending the chain and its connections to the jewelers workroom.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a modified form of the helical member, and in such construction the ends of the intermediate helical member l9 have rigidly mounted thereon short tubular members 20 that are in direct alignment with each other so as to'be fitted onto the pin that is seated in the lugs of the watch case.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 6, a section of wire has its intermediate portion bent into helical shape, and the end portions of said wire are flattened,'as designated by 2|, and said flattened portions may be readily bent to form a pair of aligned tubes such as 22.

In'Fig. 7 we have shown an elevational view of the connecting member, and it will be noted that the helically-shaped portion thereof, and particularly the semi-circular portions 6, are bent in opposite directions vertically; that is, one portion I6 is bent downward, while the other portion is bent upwardly, and as a result of this particular contour, the end link of the chain or wrist band |B lies fiat upon the portions l6 so as to produce a harmonized efiect of finished and pleasing appearance.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 8, a helical shaped member 23 of wire or the like, has its ends formed into parallel perforated ears 24 preferably of disc shape, and which receive the ends of a pin 25 similar to pin l2 and the ends of which pin 25 are seated in the lugs H of the watch case ||J.

Loosely mounted on the intermediate portion of pin 25, between the ears 24, is a tube 28 of any desired cross-sectional shape, and the intermediate portion of the helical member 23 is positioned directly against or immediately adjacent the central portion of tube 26. This form of helical member may be easily and quickly threaded through the end link of a chain wherein the links are 8-shaped.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 9, and 11, a pin 21 has its ends seated in the lugs 28 that project from a watch case, and adapted to engage said pin is a hook 29 formed of thin resilient metal.

Formed integral with the edge of the upper portion of this hook are the ends of a helical member 30 and the end of the central portion 3| of this helical member occupies a position adjacent and just below the center of the edge of the upper part of hook 29 as illustrated in Fig. 11.

The lower portion of the hook 29 is indented Such construction also facili upwardly to form a projection 32 which lies immediately below the end of the central portion 3| of member 30, and the space between the end of member 3| and the indented member 32 is slightly less than the diameter of pin 21.

As a result of this arrangement, the ends of the hook, and particularly the end having the indented portion 32, must necessarily flex slightly and spread a sufiicient distance to be applied to or removed from the pin 21; thus when the hook is applied to the pin, it will retain such position until suflicient pressure is applied to the hook to spread its ends apart and thereby permit its disengagement from 'the pin.

It will be understood that the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive is utilized as what may be termed the permanent connection between the wrist band and the watch, whereas the construction illustrated in Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive is the connection that is manipulated by the wearer when applying the watch orremoving the watch from the wrist.

The book 29 is permanently mounted on the end link of the chain, opposite the end upon which the helical bent member is detachably mounted. V

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 12, a member 35, which may be a hook or a connecting member that engages the pin carried by the lugs 36 of a watch case, is provided in its outer portion with a pin 31.

Mounted on the end portions of the pin are the ends of substantially semi-circular half links 38, one arranged within the other, with their intermediate portions being spaced a sufiicient distance apart to receive the links of a chain 39 of a double link or curb pattern.

This form of connection between the chain bracelet and the member 35 may be made without resorting to soldering, for it is only necessary to cut one link from a chain of double links or curb pattern, then divide said link into two parts, then bend one part so that it may be positioned in the other part and then perforate the ends of the two parts so that they will receive the pin 46. These two half links receive two of the complete links 38 at the end of the chain bracelet.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 13, a metal tube 40 is loosely mounted on the pin that is carried between the lugs of the watch case, and rigidly secured to said tube, preferably by soldering, are the ends and intermediate portion of a helically bent member 4| of wire or strip of thin metal. An B-shaped link 42 on the end of a bracelet engages the semi-circular portions of member 4| between its ends and center.

Obviously, the construction just described might be modified by soldering or rigidly securing the helically bent member 4| directly to the pin or rod such as l2 or 25 and the ends of which are seated in the lugs on the watch case.

An especial advantage of our improved connection between the ends of a wrist band or bracelet and a watch case is that the adjustment of the size of the bracelet to the wrist so as to hold the watch in proper position may be easily and conveniently effected without soldering operation, which generally necessitates the sending of the watch and bracelet to the workshop. Jewelry salesmen generally have access to pliers, nippers, files and the like, and with these instruments it is a comparatively easy matter'to make the necessary connectionsso asto fit the watch and bracelet to wrists of different sizes.

Thus

a purchaser may be fitted to a wrist watch and bracelet at the time the purchase is made.

The connecting device presents a neat and finished appearance, is capable of being easily and quickly connected to or removed from the pin that is carried by the lugs on the watch, and when the hook fastening is applied to its pin,

, the click or snap produced as its free end passes the pin carried by the watch produces a decided audible signal that the snapping has been properly made.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided a wrist watch and bracelet connection that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of our improved wrist watch and bracelet connection mayt be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of our invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claim.

We claim as our invention:

In a wrist watch and bracelet therefor, said bracelet including at least one end portion comprising an B-shaped link arranged transversely across one end of said bracelet; a one-piece member connecting said link to said watch, said member being formed to provide two open loops connected by an intermediate helical twist, the V bight of each of said open loops engaging a loop of said link, said helical twist limiting the lateral shifting of said member on said link and cansing said member to have a substantially fiat engagement with said link, and means detachably securing the free ends of said member to said watch.

FRANK S. MOODY.

LEO R. PAUWELS. 

